MOSCOW, February 24 (RAPSI) - President Vladimir Putin has signed a law on a mixed electoral system. A document to this effect was published on the official legal information website on Monday.

According to the new law, half the 450 seats in the State Duma will be filled using a proportional system based on votes for parties, with each party then filling its allotted seats. The other half will be filled by the direct election of individual candidates (single-candidate system), creating a potential opening for independent campaigns. Candidates are nominated by parties, or can nominate themselves.

Under new laws which extended both the terms of Duma members and the president, Russia's next parliamentary election is scheduled for December 2016, while the next presidential election will be in March 2018.